onemalu christmas party 12/15/2007

onemalu is a transitional housing facility that gives homeless families a place to live, and help with finding jobs, job training, and permanent housing. each year, st nick's church throws a christmas party for the residents, complete with professional family portraits, entertainment, lunch, and christmas presents for every child living there. this year, we were joined by the hawaiian civic club, na wahine o kamehameha, and te rangatahi polynesian dance troop.

Kâla chaired the effort to put on the Onemalu Christmas Party.

Members of the Onemalu residence hall staff, including Case Manager Danmerle (second from left).

Two children helping distribute hotdogs for lunch. Church members Dan and Linda donated the services of their lunchwagon to provide lunch to the residents of Onemalu.

Colin getting ready to quality test a hotdog.

Daughters of the King President Shauna helped distribute Christmas presents.

Lance and Doug guarding presents. The wind was fierce that day.

Youth minister Vicki shot family portraits for residents. The pictures were printed, framed and given to residents that same day.

Youth Ministers Vicki and Jeremy .

St Nick's members Marbel and Daughters of the King President Shauna smiling during lunch.

Some of the members of Na Wahine o Kamehameha. They served drinks to residents during lunch.

Youth Minister Jeremy took portraits while Vicki danced with the St Nick's hula halau.

The St Nick's hula halau beginning its performance.

Nursery director Debbie leading the St Nick's halau.

Kidzone teacher Nena dancing with the St Nick's halau.

The youngest member of St Nick's halau shows the adults how it's done.

Bishop's Warden Dot processing and printing portraits.

The hu (top) contest was very popular with all ages. Here, a young champion concentrates on preparing for the perfect spin.

Destiny, a mystic hu master, demonstrates how to keep the hu spinning without touching it.

The Te Rangatahi Polynesian Dance Troop presented Polynesian dancing and fighting arts. Here their young women dance.

A young soloist of Te Rangatahi Polynesian Dance Troop expressing the inexpressible.

The senior hula dancers of Te Rangatahi Polynesian Dance Troop demonstrating classic hula.

The music, chant and rhythm section of Te Rangatahi Polynesian Dance Troop.

The young men of Te Rangatahi Polynesian Dance Troop demonstrating Polynesian martial arts.

The young men and women of Te Rangatahi Polynesian Dance Troop demonstrating stick-fighting techniques.

Danmerle, Kâla and Doug announcing names while distributing Christmas presents. St Nick's Church, the Hawaiian Civic Club and Na Wahine of Kamehameha teamed up to provide a Christmas present to each child living in Onemalu.

After a hard day of working in the lunch wagon, an afternoon nap captures the young workers.

Kâla handing a Christmas present to one of the teenage Onemalu residents.